NEW BRAUNFELS – On Wednesday Comal County officials announced an eighth death related to COVID-19, the highest one-day case total yet and the county’s highest positivity rate. The recent surge prompted Comal County Judge Sherman Krause to sign an order mandating all businesses to develop safety plans that require the use of face coverings for employees and customers.
County officials say a man in his 70s died over the weekend. He was hospitalized with COVID-19 and had underlying medical conditions. It’s the county’s eighth COVID-19-related death.
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Comal County also announced Wednesday its highest number of COVID-19 cases in a day with 124 new confirmed and probable cases. Eighty-six of the cases are New Braunfels residents, 23 are from the Bulverde/Spring Branch area, 10 live south of Canyon Lake, three live north of Canyon Lake, and two are from the Garden Ridge area, officials said.
The county’s positivity rate, which is the percentage of tests that return a positive COVID-19 result, is now at 12.17%. County officials say that’s up from 10.28% on Tuesday and 8.65% one week ago. It’s now the highest positivity rate recorded in Comal County since the start of the pandemic.
“Some of the spike we’re reporting today comes from our office catching up from a large influx of reports over the weekend,” said Cheryl Fraser, director of public health. “But as the positivity rate shows, we are seeing significant spread throughout the community, especially in New Braunfels and Bulverde.”
The county reported COVID-19 outbreaks at the following nursing homes and long-term care facilities:
- 27 residents and 14 staff at the Heights of Bulverde
- 8 residents and 5 staff at Kirkwood Manor in New Braunfels
- 32 residents and 10 staff at River Gardens in New Braunfels
“COVID-19 is putting incredible pressure on our local health care system, and we are seeing increased stress in staffing capabilities across the board,” Fraser said. “Face coverings, social distancing and hand washing are the best tools we have to fight the spread of the coronavirus, and we need to use them.”
County Judge Krause signed an order Wednesday, similar to the one in San Antonio, requiring businesses to have a health safety plan in place that includes requiring face coverings for employees and customers. The order is in effect immediately and expires July 15. Enforcement will begin Friday, according to county officials.
Last week, New Braunfels Mayor Rusty Brockman signed an order requiring the use of face coverings at all businesses operating in the New Braunfels city limits.
On Friday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered rafting and tubing businesses to close and prohibited them from renting equipment or providing transportation for the purpose of rafting or tubing. The rivers in New Braunfels have been packed in recent weeks.
Comal County residents who want to be tested for COVID-19 can call the county’s dedicated hotline, 830-221-1120, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. The hotline will be closed Friday for the Independence Day holiday.
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